Need to include emergency medicine, trauma care in undergraduate curriculum: Vice President

PTINov 08, 2019

Vice President on 7th November said there was a need to include emergency medicine and trauma care in the curriculum of undergraduate medical courses.

He also urged all stakeholders in the health sector to develop programmes and manuals to train citizens in emergency first aid procedures such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) as they would help in saving lives while waiting for emergency services. Speaking at the 10th Asian Conference of Emergency Medicine (ACEM), the vice president pointed out that over 3,700 die in accidents on world's roads every day and tens of millions get injured or disabled every year. Children, pedestrians, cyclists, and older people were among the most vulnerable of road users. Many of the road accident deaths could be prevented by providing immediate pre-hospital care, he said while calling for stepping up investments to provide timely and high-quality emergency health services in India.

"Apart from upgrading the infrastructure in all major hospitals to meet the requirements of this emerging specialty, there is also a need to include emergency medicine and trauma care in curriculum of undergraduate courses. "Medical students must be trained to deal with whole gamut of situations relating to emergency medicine. There is also a need to provide simulation training in emergency medicine for undergraduates and develop the necessary modules in this regard," Naidu said. He said he was glad that the government has made it mandatory for all medical college hospitals to have full-fledged Emergency Departments by 2022 with an aim to improve trauma care.

Calling for steps to create a well-structured emergency medical services, he said that bystander training and protocols for trauma resuscitation were extremely important elements in improving the architecture of emergency medicine. "Emergency care and emergency medicine played a vital role in the healthcare system. The initial management and stabilisation of a patient in need of emergency care is truly a speciality on its own and requires intensive training and resources. Very often the availability of emergency care makes the difference between life and death," Naidu said. "There is an urgent need to attach high priority to emergency medicine and services in India. We have to invest in providing timely and high-quality emergency health services in the country," he said.

He also said that rural India should also receive these services as it is an important aspect for the development of the country. He said it was important to ensure that every village or a cluster of villages is connected to an established emergency service network. "No doubt, the emergency medical service scenario in urban India has undergone a major transformation in the last few years. We still have considerable challenges in setting up robust emergency medical services in the country, particularly in the rural areas.

"Well-structured emergency medical services are crucial in saving lives during medical emergencies. In a country like India where half the population lives in villages it is essential to have at least one well structured emergency service provider to be attached to every village," he said. Referring to the growing incidence of non-communicable diseases, especially among the youth, Naidu urged medical professionals to visit nearby schools and colleges to create awareness on preventive measures and to adopt healthy dietary and lifestyle habits.

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